SCI-219 Final

.docx

School

Southern New Hampshire University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

219

Subject

Electrical Engineering

Date

Dec 6, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

7

Uploaded by DoctorStar6412

Report
1 ` Kalen Anderson SCI-219 Environmental Issues Final Southern New Hampshire University October 15th 2023
2 Environmental Issue The issue I have selected is the impact of one-use plastics and the effects of microplastics now found in waterways. From bottles, containers, toys, packaging, and many other items, plastics are one of the main culprits for global pollution. With high human consumerism of plastic products across a large spectrum, plastic is something that is here to stay and will be seen continuously in our ecosystems. There is an estimated count of over 5 trillion particles of plastics in our oceans today. Continued production and use of plastics on a global scale, the lasting effects of plastic pollution can be seen in all corners of the world. Global scale use of plastics has a domino effect of environmental concerns that are now being seen regionally and locally in many communities. In 2019, the world had produced 9.5 billion tonnes of plastic — more than one ton of plastic for every person alive today (Ritchie & Roser 2019). Many cultures and communities around the world rely on seafood and fishing for substance as well as way of life. As a resident of coastal Virginia, fishing and shellfish harvesting is a large part of our regional economy. A survey of four tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay found microplastics in 59 out of 60 samples of various marine animals, the next year the survey resulted in all 60 samples containing microplastics. With this information we can now see direct correlation with consumer waste to the effects of marine life as well as our coastal ecosystems. Due to the long decomposition of plastics, this form of pollution will be a global issue for years to come. Depending on material plastics can have a range of 20 to 500 years before it has completely decomposed. Human Impact Microplastics have been identified as an artificial substrate which could affect ecological processes and facilitate transportation of invasive species (JPI Oceans n.d). With continuous research of microplastics related issues across the world, we are already seeing impacts in the
3 fishing industry with microplastics being identified in multiple marine species including fish, oysters, and other shellfish species. As more and more plastics are being produced, the more of a negative snowball effect it will have on our ecological footprint as a society. The production of plastic material also produces carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and atmospheric pollution. With the production of plastics and human output of waste from single use plastics, we can directly see pollution around us. Virtually no ecosystem can escape human impact. We depend on ecosystems for vital goods but the impact of pollution negatively impacts the health and quality of global ecosystems. The by-product of the decomposition of plastic which are microplastics have tremendous impact not only to the environment but to human health as well. It has been estimated that humans ingest a credit card worth of plastic per week (United Nations n.d). The consumer use of plastics in various forms is the starting point of the long process of plastic material breakdown which indirectly leads to the creation of microplastics. The microplastics then have a direct impact on the environment as continued exposure of plastics are now seen being ingested by both wildlife and humans. Activities within my local community such as high plastic use and the pollution of recreational, commercial, or industrial sectors. With increasing population more waste will be produced in the coming years which will indirectly as well as directly impact the ecological processes of the advancement of carbon emissions. The same activity seen on a global sale can be locally in my own community. With commercial fishing equipment such as nylon and polymer lines and nets can be seen litters on beaches and shorelines. Bottles, containers, and wappers can be seen littered through neighborhoods, beaches, wooden areas and city streets. Through continued use of plastics on a local level, we are additionally adding the overall impact of plastics in our own region. Potential Solutions
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
  • Access to all documents
  • Unlimited textbook solutions
  • 24/7 expert homework help